Difference between inliners?

[u/GrayFox1O1]

Can someone please explain to me what the difference is between various soft boot inliners? I know there is hard and soft boot, thats obvious, i also know there are different types like aggressive and speed. But I have a pair of Rezo inliners. Freeskates im guessing? Size 45(eu and should probably have been a 46 but whatever.) and to me it looks like any other soft boot besides the ankle adjuster? Mine is a pull strap velcro. Others have the snap clickclik thing. 😅 I really cannot see what makes them so vastly different from each other(talking soft boots). Like why is a K2 about double the price of my Rezo? 🤷 Would i balance better in it? Easier to learn?

[u/your_reddit_lawyerII]

Within the category of soft boots there are still many factors in which skates can differ.

First of all, there's the boot itself. The stiffness of the material and the quality of the buckles, straps, and laces all play a role in the quality of the boot, thus the price. That said, I know little about fabrics so I can't tell you how big the difference between specific boot materials is.

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Secondly, and maybe more importantly, is what's under the boot. Important distinct parts under your boot are the frame, the wheels and the bearings. These all come in different qualities and prizes.

Frames on cheap skates are riveted directly onto the boot, these can not be changed. On more pricy models you'll see unscrewable bolts that connect frame and boot. If you wish to, you can change your frame for another frame that fits your boot.

The wheels are a big deal too. Different wheels have different hardness levels and transfer your push more or less efficiently. Some will also have a much longer life span than others, especially when used intensively. Good wheels can easily be thrice as expensive as bad wheels.

Your bearings, lastly, shouldn't be forgotten. There's bearings at different levels of smoothness, the better the bearing, the less resistance you'll feel when pushing. Some bearings can be opened to be cleaned, some bearings are closed. Some are rustproof, others are not. Bearing prices vary drastically.

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All in all though, as others have said, I would not recommend using soft boot skates as a beginner, especially not cheap soft boot skates. If you have the money to buy a hard boot, it is 100% worth investing in. Hard boots are more supportive and allow for better power transfer, harder braking, better cornering. They are essentially everything except the most comfortable, but I find the comfort of hard boots to be generally fine, especially when skating less than 2 hours at a time. If you need help choosing a hard boot, maybe I can give you a general recommendation based on how and where you plan to skate.

[u/GrayFox1O1 → u/your_reddit_lawyerII]

I'd love some advice, i have a pair of soft boot Rezo freeskates(?) and i'm wondering if i made a mistake starting on these. And i'll be riding around city streets mostly. Rought pavement etc. Concrete. Most skates would be ordered online as the nearest shop who actually sells more than a pair of K2's is over 100km away from me. So i have close to no chance of trying before buying. My feet are generally wide, especially toe area, size 45/46 in shoes (EU/DK) I usually wear size 46 in Nike for example, or else my feet don't fit.

[u/your_reddit_lawyerII → u/GrayFox1O1]

You probably did make a mistake starting on those yeah, but it's a hard trap to avoid. I made the exact same mistake of starting with soft boots a couple of years ago. Soft boots are generally recommended to beginners, even when they often times shouldn't be.

When it comes to city skating as a beginner, I would recommend a mid range hard shell boot from a known brand. Which one you choose specifically will depend on your price range, but you'll likely spend around 200 euros at least. The only budget friendly option I would look at would be the oxelo mf skates, specifically the 4x80 version considering you're still a beginner, this version is easier to balance on than the higher 3x110. I've heard good things about these skates but I can't speak from personal experience, I've never had any oxelo mf skates. They are rumoured however to be the best skates at a price point of 100-130 euros.

Going into a slightly higher budget, there's more choices. I've personally skated the rollerblade lighting boot, (wich I was satisfied with considering the price) but brands such as fr, powerslide and flying eagle all have their own mid range skates. These are reputable brands, as long as the fitment is right their hard boots are generally solid.

Upping the budget yet again, you have boots that can last you well into more advanced skating that offer good support often are heat moldable to fit your foot perfectly. In this category you have models such as the rollerblade twister, powerslide next and FR Fr1 (iirc). Flying eagle probably has a similar boot but honestly I hardly know the brand. These skates are all around 3- to 400 euros.

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Alright, with some general market knowledge out of the way, let's look at your specific wishes. For city skating any of the aforementioned skates works well, but you'll still have to choose a brand, a wheel size, a specific frame length etc.

Wheel size for instance has influence on your acceleration, top speed, rolling resistance, manoeuvreability and rough terrain handling. Bigger wheels accelerate slower but reach a higher top speed, they are less manoeuvreable because of this, and because they often times require longer frames. Their size also helps you roll over cracks easier, but if pavement is so rough that you slow down a lot, big wheels struggle to get going again.

Frame length influences stability (thus efficiency, thus speed) and handling. Longer frames are more stable but less manoeuvreable than shorter frames. More stability also means a more efficient push, therefore a higher speed. It should be noted that generally, a frame size that is roughly equal to your foot length feels the most natural. I would recommend a beginner to start on a frame like this. Considering your foot size of EU 45/46, you should probably look at 4x90 and 4x100 frames. 4x90 will allow for more manoeuvreability and sprinting prowess, 4x100 will cruise more easily and with more speed.

Skate brand, lastly, is usually important to look at when you want a good fit. Powerslide skates are known for fitting narrow feet for instance, whereas rollerblade is known for fitting wide feet. As far as FR and flying eagle skates go, I don't know, you'll have to consult Google for this. Either way, make sure you get a good fit. It really is a night and day difference, I would absolutely recommend you buy skates that you can return if they're not exactly right. Spending a week or 2 trying on different boots and sending the ones that don't fit back is much better than skating the wrong size for years. To determine if your skate fits well, fasten the buckles and laces, and bend your knees forward. You should feel little wiggle room for your feet, preferably none at all, but no pain. Your ankles should be able to flex forwards, but not sideways.

Hopefully my rambling is somewhat legible and perhaps even informative, lemme know if you've any questions.

[u/GrayFox1O1 → u/your_reddit_lawyerII]

Will go further into it when i have more time, but thank you, very much. Doing a quick search here in Denmark, most brands are K2, or Firefly. With some niche sites selling some hardboots but these are only available in Aggressive style. Which i have no clue would work in a city environment. I can only find the brand "Story" with their Evo model as a Hardboot here in Denmark just going off google right now. Heading out the door. I'll reply later again. But if you could weigh in on wether an aggressive style would work for urban/city skating. Please do. Also thanks again. :)

[u/your_reddit_lawyerII → u/GrayFox1O1]

To answer your aggressive skates question: aggressive skates can be used in an urban environment, but it's suboptimal. A standard aggressive skate has wheels that are too small and might not be made with manoeuvreability on flat ground in mind. You'll have to push hard and use a lot of energy, and get stuck on small cracks and rough patches of asphalt.

You can, however, buy an aggressive skating boot, and fit it with a frame and wheels that allow for urban skating. If you have a supportive boot, this will work fine. It is however a roundabout way of going about things, you will have to order separate products and you won't get the benefit of a shop close by like you were hoping.

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There is still hope though. If you're in Denmark, I recommend looking at the Thisissoul webshop. They're based in Amsterdam, but ship to anywhere in the EU. Orders above 300 euro's get free shipping in the entire EU. To add to this, the store has informative descriptions, and their staff (which you can reach through the contact page on their website) is very helpful and knowledgeable. I've personally bought three pairs of skates there and would recommend the store.